New Delhi: Prime minister Narendra Modi in his pre-departure statement today said India attaches “paramount importance” to strengthening relations with countries in the Indian Ocean region, which is vital for its security and progress.
He said his visit to the Indian Ocean Island countries reflects India's foreign policy priorities with its immediate and extended neighbourhood.
Prime Minister said this before leaving for a five day visit to Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka.
He expressed confidence that his visits to all the three countries will reinvigorate India's relations with them in this all-important region “we call home–-the Indian Ocean”.
The Prime minister sees this as an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship with these countries in all its dimensions – political, strategic, economic, cultural, and above all, people to people contacts.
My visit to the three Indian Ocean Island countries reflects our foreign policy priorities in India's immediate and extended neighbourhood. India attaches paramount importance to strengthening relations with this region, which is vital for India's security and progress," he said.
Modi said he was keenly looking forward to the three-nation visit, observing that India had strong, multifaceted and important relationship with each of these countries and that they all occupied a very important place in its foreign policy
